LeBron's agent takes pressures, critics in stride Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul credits his principled late dad, Glenville upbringing
Like his biggest client (LeBron James), agent Rich Paul bought a home in Los Angeles. But he's going to continue living and working in Cleveland.
(Lonnie Timmons III Lonnie Timmons III Lonnie Timmons III)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Rich Paul purchased a $3 million summer home in Los Angeles recently, becoming the third member of LeBron James' inner circle to buy a house out there in the last year.
But you can still expect to see Paul in his usual seat, courtside at The Q, for most of the Cavs' 41 home games.
Paul, 34, who is James' agent, founder and CEO of Klutch Sports agency, which represents multiple NBA players including the Cavs' Tristan Thompson, bought a 3,900-square-foot new home in the Beverly Grove area of Los Angeles.
The purchase was first reported by the Los Angeles Times and confirmed to cleveland.com by sources close to Paul.
Paul's house shopping might be of interest to Cavs fans because, well, James owns a $21 million home in Brentwood and Maverick Carter, James' longtime friend and business partner, purchased a house for $3.47 million in Hollywood Hills.
If LeBron Inc. is moving to L.A., does that mean James will one day take his basketball talents out West?
A source close to Paul said the Cleveland native will "continue to live in and operate out of" his hometown, and he bought the L.A. house because "increasingly, his clients, in addition to LeBron, are spending summers in Los Angeles."
James spent most of July, August, and September living and working out of his Brentwood estate. Thompson, the Raptors' Cory Joseph, and Washington's John Wall -- all Paul clients -- have also spent large chunks of their summers in southern California. So has Ben Simmons, a Paul client who was drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in June.
Paul, who wants a place to live while his clients are out there, attended workouts recently in L.A. featuring James, Simmons, Dwyane Wade (not a Paul client) and others.
Carter, who manages all of James' business ventures and runs SpringHill Entertainment -- James' budding media company that is literally housed on the lot at Warner Bros. Studios, also maintains a home in Ohio but spends much of his time in Los Angeles because that's where the work of growing James' off-court interests takes place.
James, of course, signed a three-year, $100 million contract to remain with the Cavs this offseason, though he could opt out of that deal after two seasons.
Paul was born in Cleveland and graduated from Benedictine. He met James in 2002 while he (Paul) was selling throwback NFL and NBA jerseys. Paul has been part of James' inner circle since 2003 and his agent since 2012.
Paul also represents Cavs free-agent guard J.R. Smith.